It's the question every brand asks first and the one with the least standardised answer in the industry: what does sonic branding actually cost? The honest answer is "it depends", but that's not very useful, so here's how the pricing actually breaks down, and what moves it up or down.
The three rough tiers
A single sonic logo. The smallest entry point, a 2 to 5 second audio mnemonic for app opens, video sign-offs, or ad endings. This is the cheapest way to start a sonic identity and is often where smaller brands and startups begin.
A brand anthem or campaign score. A fuller piece of original music, composed, recorded, and mixed to support a specific campaign or season, built once, then cut down into 6-second, 15-second, and 30-second versions for different placements.
A full sonic identity system. Sonic logo, brand anthem, UX sound palette, and written voice & music guidelines, all designed together so every touchpoint shares the same sonic DNA. This is the most comprehensive (and most expensive) option, but it's also the one that compounds in value the longest, since every future ad, app update, or store opening can simply pull from an existing system instead of starting from zero.
What actually moves the price
Scope of usage. A track licensed for one local social campaign costs less than the same composition cleared for global broadcast, multiple territories, and indefinite use. Usage rights, not just production time, are a major cost driver.
Original composition vs. re-recording. Composing from scratch takes longer than adapting and re-recording a reference track, see our piece on audio licensing and re-recording for when each route makes sense.
Number of deliverables. One finished video score is a different job than a full set of stems, alternate edits, broadcast and social cutdowns, and a guidelines document.
Timeline. Standard timelines (a few weeks for a sonic logo, 4–8 weeks for a full identity) cost less than rush turnarounds.
Why it's worth the investment
The research case is hard to ignore: Ipsos found ads using sonic brand cues are 8.53× more likely to be high-performing than visual-only ads, and Mastercard saw a 77% lift in customer trust within 12 months of launching its sonic identity. Sonic assets still make up only around 8% of brand assets industry-wide, which means most categories haven't claimed an audio identity yet, the cost of doing nothing is a missed first-mover advantage, not just a missed ad.
Getting an actual number
Because scope varies so much, we don't publish a flat price list, and frankly, neither does anyone doing this work seriously, since a fair quote depends on usage, deliverables, and timeline. The fastest way to get a real number is to tell us what you're trying to do. See our sonic branding & music strategy service for what's typically included, or check the FAQ for more on timelines and rights. Then get in touch and we'll come back with a clear, no-obligation quote, usually within a few days.